Published: Thursday, July 24, 2014 at 07:30 PM.

Photo Galleries

Heavy downpours at midday Thursday resulted in streets and parking lots being flooded throughout the area.

According to the National Weather Service, an estimated .5 to 3 inches of rain fell in various parts of Lenoir County just after noon.

Kinston Public Services Director Rhonda Barwick said dispatchers received calls for water in the 100 block of Grainger Avenue, the intersections of Blount and McLewean streets, Peyton and McLewean and one at Hardee Road and Eleanor Drive.

“Some of those, Hardee and Eleanor in particular, Kinston Public Safety put up a barricade to let motorists know to be cautious,” she said.

Barwick said crews checked on storm drains to make sure water was flowing properly.

“Normally the storm drains can handle the water, it just can’t handle all of it in such a short amount of time,” she said. “You can’t build a storm drain that is ready for every scenario. What we use as a guide is, as long as the water going into the storm drain is swirling, then it’s working. Usually within 30 minutes, the water should be completely through the storm drain. We then watch areas that are not meeting that goal.”

Cheryl Smith, manager at Little Caesars Pizza, said it’s common to see a lot of water at the store’s location on the corner West Vernon Avenue and North Herritage Street.

Heavy downpours at midday Thursday resulted in streets and parking lots being flooded throughout the area.

According to the National Weather Service, an estimated .5 to 3 inches of rain fell in various parts of Lenoir County just after noon.

Kinston Public Services Director Rhonda Barwick said dispatchers received calls for water in the 100 block of Grainger Avenue, the intersections of Blount and McLewean streets, Peyton and McLewean and one at Hardee Road and Eleanor Drive.

“Some of those, Hardee and Eleanor in particular, Kinston Public Safety put up a barricade to let motorists know to be cautious,” she said.

Barwick said crews checked on storm drains to make sure water was flowing properly.

“Normally the storm drains can handle the water, it just can’t handle all of it in such a short amount of time,” she said. “You can’t build a storm drain that is ready for every scenario. What we use as a guide is, as long as the water going into the storm drain is swirling, then it’s working. Usually within 30 minutes, the water should be completely through the storm drain. We then watch areas that are not meeting that goal.”

Cheryl Smith, manager at Little Caesars Pizza, said it’s common to see a lot of water at the store’s location on the corner West Vernon Avenue and North Herritage Street.

“Both corners flood every time it rains hard,” she said.

Smith said the rain does not inhibit customers from getting their pizzas.

“The bad weather brings people out,” she said. “We get busy when it starts pouring. I guess people just feel the need to come out.”

Auto Zone manager Santiago Contreras said the store, located on East Vernon Avenue, sees occasional flooding, but the rain didn’t cause too many problems Thursday.
“The rain today came in and then it dried out,” he said

According to the National Weather Service, residents will enjoy a reprieve from rain over the next several days. The forecast calls for a 20 percent chance of rain Friday and Saturday, with the chance of rain increasing to 30 percent on Sunday and Monday.

Noah Clark can be reached at 252-559-1073 or Noah.Clark@Kinston.com. Follow him on Twitter @nclark763.